West Bloomfield Twp. elementary students graduate from nutrition program out of partnership with Henry Ford Hospital

Students in the West Bloomfield "Chef for a Day, Farmer for a Day" program walk in the Henry Ford Hospital Ravitz Atrium and receive diplomas to celebrate their completion of the program. (Photo submitted by Dr. Ken Wolf)

About 600 West Bloomfield elementary students donned a different type of graduation cap this week to celebrate their participation in a year-long program geared towards nutrition awareness: A chef’s hat.

The program — called “Chef for a Day, Farmer for a Day — was created in Sept. 2013 by Sheiko Elementary, the West Bloomfield School District and Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital to help reduce childhood obesity, said program representatives.

Sheiko Elementary students learned about life cycles, healthy eating, and more through the program, which was based on national standards, while staying within the school district’s curriculum.

Specifically, students visited Henry Ford doctors, watched hospital chefs prepare food at the school, and even saw organic foods being grown at Henry Ford’s hospital-based, 1,500-square-foot greenhouse — the first of its kind in Michigan.

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At a commencement ceremony Wednesday in the hospital’s Ravitz Atrium, West Bloomfield Schools Superintendent Gerald Hill said the school’s 5-2-1-0 Wellness program — each number denotes how many fruits and vegetables to eat, how many hours to watch television and exercise and to limit sugar intake — is a valuable tool for adults and children, “and one that the students should share with other family members and friends.”

The program helped students achieve that goal, as many were encouraged to be teachers to their classmates and families on new eating behaviors, food choice selections and exercise patterns.

The Chef For a Day arm of the program included information regarding nutrition, mood foods, kitchen safety, label reading, tracking healthy habits with a worksheet and more.

Students went into the greenhouse for the Farmer for a Day portion of the program to learn about basic plant care and harvesting, the environmental impact of growing, alternative energy, and other outdoor and wildlife knowledge. Children took a plant home, helped release ladybugs — which are beneficial insects to the environment — and tasted organic vegetables grown by Michelle Lutz, the first resident farmer at a hospital in Michigan.

“Food has an impact on human health, and on environmental health,” Lutz said.

To go along with the 5-2-1-0 program, students also learned exercises, including Zumba! and reduced their time watching television, playing video games or being on the computer to two hours a day.

Speaking after Senators Debbie Stabenow and Mike Kowall and Rep. Gary Peters as kids crossed the stage in their white hats, Hill added that the partnership between Henry Ford Hospital and the West Bloomfield School District is a great example of how well community entities can work together on behalf of children.

“In this case, it has expanded the classroom into Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital and (the hospital) is able to expand their service delivery to the community,” he said.